1993 Issue 7

Elizabeth, as well as Mary, recognizes that the birth of her baby is the display of the covenant mercy of Jehovah. For an explanation of the Greek word for mercy, ELEOS, and the Hebrew equivalent, HESED, see the comments on page 15, 16 in the July/August issue of The Counsel. The word denotes that in the birth of the Forerunner and the Savior, God is not only being FAITHFUL to His covenant promises in the Old Testament, He is being GRACIOUS to His people in sending them salvation, which their age-old unfaithfulness and innate sinfulness did not deserve.

When interpreting any book of the Bible, it is important for us to understand the audience to which it was originally directed. There are at least three factors in Revelation that emphasize the original audience and their historic circumstances. These begin to move us toward the preterist position. When these are combined with the matter of the expectation of Revelation (with which I will deal in a moment), the preterist approach becomes justified on the basis of sound hermeneutical principle.

First, in Revelation we have clear evidence that John is writing to particular, historic, individual churches that existed in his day. Revelation 1:4a reads: "John to the seven churches which are in Asia." In verse 11 he specifically names the seven churches ' to whom he speaks. We know these are historical cities containing historical churches. These churches are specifically dealt with in terms of their historically and culturally unique circumstances in chapters 2 and 3. Real first century Christians are being addressed.

As the multicultural nazis continue their rampage through our society, reports tell us that most of the significant damage is still confined to our colleges and "multi-versities." That does not mean that we can safely ignore it however -- for their ideas are rapidly becoming the "new orthodoxy" of the land.

One of the significant cornerstones of this new-fledged orthology is the concept of "the noble savage." This, of course, is not a new notion. The idea was (and is) that the natives who lived in the jungles of Africa and on the islands and mainlands of the Americas, lived in primeval bliss. They enjoyed perfect harmony with nature, had plenty to eat and drink, were free of materialistic cares, capitalistic strife, and all the other problems of modern, Western civilization. They had no pollution (they reverenced the land), they suffered no discrimination (an egalitarian paradise), they even (so say some) had no, or very little, disease(!).

What do you think would be the results of a one question examination given to every evangelical professing Christian in the world? The one question examination, is - "Is Christianity probably true or certainly true?" Would we not be shocked and grieved if the results were not a 100% score favoring the certainty of the Christian faith? When you asked God to forgive you of your sins, pleading for the mercy of God, did you probably think that God exists or did you certainly believe in a forgiving God? Did you probably or certainly think that Jesus Christ came into this world to atone for man's sin? When you repented of your sins and turned in faith and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, did you probably or certainly believe that salvation was only in Jesus Christ?

Ten Christians were murdered and 49 wounded during a terrorist attack on the packed St. James Church of England in Kenilworth, Cape Town during the Sunday evening service on July 25th.

At about 7:30 pm while the congregation of about 1000 people sang a hymn, four black men dressed in overalls and balaclava's (ski masks) burst into the church, lobbed two hand grenades and opened fire with AK 47 assault rifles on the packed congregation.

"By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit all believers being vitally united to Christ, who is the Head, are thus united one to another in the church, which is His body. He calls and anoints ministers for their holy office, qualifies all other officers in the church for their special work, and imparts various gifts and graces to its members. He gives efficacy to the Word and to the ordinances of the gospel. By Him the church will be preserved, increased, purified, and at last made perfectly holy in, the presence of God." (WCF 34:4)

The term "New World Order" is no longer an unfamiliar term to many Americans. What is behind this apparent move toward a one-world government? Gary Kah "a high ranking government liaison" reveals the results of his years of study in this issue. Within these pages he provides evidence of a variety of individuals who remain out of media attention, and thus unknown to many, who are working to bring the world under one economic and political structure which will result in one world wide government.

Educating for the New World Order by B.K. Eakman Halcyon House P.O. Box 8795 Portland, Or. 97207-8795 291 pp. w. index pb. $21.95.

Concerned parents who have their children enrolled in public schools may keep a close eye on textbook changes and the sex ed curriculum. If these are the only items they watch in their children's educational program this book is necessary reading.